Figueroa plans to put Bailey into checkmate position Friday night on ESPN

NEW YORK – NABF light welterweight champion Frankie “El Gato” Figueroa feels every fight is like a chess match and he plans to put former 2-time world champion Randall Bailey into a checkmate position Friday night on ESPN2 during their scheduled 12-round IBF title eliminator in Memphis.

The winner between IBF No. 3 rated Bailey (38-6, 34 KOs) and No. 6 ranked Figueroa (20-2, 13 KOs) will earn a title shot against IBF champion Juan Urango.

Figueroa, riding a 12-fight win streak dating back to 2004, broke camp today in southern Florida and tomorrow he heads to Memphis. “Bailey’s a big banger who uses a single punch – right hand – to stop most of his opponents,” Figueroa said. “I’m not worried about what he’s bringing, more about what adjustments will be made during the fight. The key is figuring out your opponent and making the key adjustments to win. I’m very confident. I love to fight and this is what I do – fight! Figuring out a fighter and making adjustments in the mix is like playing chess. Both fighters come into the fight with a game plan but adjustments have to be made during the fight. I have to put him into a checkmate position to win the fight and reach my goal of winning a world title. I’m not looking past him, but I have one eye on Urango because that’s what drives me. It’s part of me, part of my goal, to be world champion. I’ve overcome obstacles to reach this point and I need to win this fight to have a shot at winning a world title.”

Also rated No. 11 by the WBC and No. 14 by the WBA, the 30-year-old Puerto Rican-American, born in Spanish Harlem and fighting out of the Bronx, is now handled by Roy Jones, Jr.’s Square Ring Promotions.

“I’m in the best shape of my career,” Figueroa added. “This training camp has been the best due to my manager, Sal LoNano, sending me to Boston for training at Mike Boyle’s for strength and conditioning. It continued in Florida with some great work with my trainer, Eggie Martinez, and valuable sparring sessions.”

For more information about Gato Figueroa visit his web site at www.teamgato.com.

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German education for Matt Godfrey‏

German education for Matt Godfrey



PROVIDENCE– NABF cruiserweight champion Matt “Too Smooth” Godfrey (16-1, 9 KOs) has been boxing professionally for four years, after a lengthy amateur career, but his ring education reached another level last month in Germany, albeit in defeat.

As the No. 1 rated contender in the World Boxing Council, Godfrey was matched against No. 2 ranked Rudy Kraj in a 12-round WBC Title Eliminator to determine the WBC’s mandatory challenger to title-holder David Haye. Kraj won a unanimous 12-round decision by scores of 117-111, 116-113, and 115-113.

Fighters react differently to adversity, especially a first loss; they generally come back stronger than ever because of the experience or fold-up and end-up nothing more than a club fighter. The 27-year-old Godfrey says he’s learned valuable lessons about himself and boxing that will help make him a world champion in the not too distant future.

“I went overseas to fight Kraj in his backyard,” Godfrey said. “I got through a difficult fight and learned a lot that I hadn’t experienced in my first 16 pro fights. I proved that I can dig down and go 12 hard rounds. I also learned that I have to become a lot meaner and more aggressive. I can’t just rely on my boxing ability, being ‘Too Smooth,’ and just looking good in the ring. I need to bite down, push forward and take the fight away from my opponent – like Vinny Paz did – instead of just boxing around in the ring.”

“The loss wasn’t devastating to his career,” Godfrey’s manager Bret Hallenback explained, “as long as he’s learned and that depends on how he comes back. It’s too early to say right now, but it’s no more than one loss, and I strongly believe he learned a lot. One thing he learned is that he’s not invincible, which will put pressure on him in future fights. It was a huge eye-opener for him. Matt has to be aggressive and use the skills and power he definitely has. It was an education. He took a loss, not a beating, and I have no doubt that he learned a valuable lesson. We need to get him into a big fight to prove his last fight wasn’t the norm, but more of a fluke, and an education for him.”

Godfrey was second heavyweight alternate on the 2004 U.S. Olympic Boxing Team, compiling a 194-23 amateur record, including six national championships -- four open tournaments highlighted by the 2004 Everlast U.S. Championships, plus two in the Junior Olympics – as well as a Bronze medal at the 2001 Pan-American Games, Silver in all four of that year’s national major tournaments (National Golden Gloves, PAL (Police Athletic League), U.S. Championships and U.S. Challenge).

His most notable wins as a pro were devastating stoppages of highly-touted prospects Shaun George and Felix Cora, Jr. on national television of. Matt was riding high until he fought Czech Republic native Kraj in Germany.

“I was terribly disappointed with my first loss, but now I realize that all champions (not named Floyd Mayweather or Joe Calzaghe) lose at some point. It isn’t the end of the world, as long as you learn from a loss, and I’ve learned a lot. I know what I’m capable of and I just have to put it all together. I still believe I’m the best cruiserweight in the world. I can’t wait to fight again. I went back into the gym right away and I’ve been working as hard as if I was preparing for a fight. I want to fight the top guys, on television, and get back to where I belong.”

Once rated No. 1, Godfrey dropped to No. 7 after his loss, which surprised Godfrey’s promoter, Jimmy Burchfield (Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc.). “I don’t understand why he’s rated any lower than No. 3,” Burchfield noted. “He lost a close 12-round decision to the No. 2 guy and dropped all of the way to No. 7? I don’t get it. Matt won the championship rounds. He took over the fight but started off too slow and ended-up finishing just a little short. There’s no question that this experience is going to make him an even better fighter.”

Bob Trieger: Full Court Press

Unbeaten super middleweight prospect James McGirt Jr. fighting on ShoBox April 11 vs. Carlos DeLeon, Jr.

VERO BEACH, Florida– Unbeaten super middleweight prospect James McGirt, Jr. (18-0, 9 KOs) squares-off with another son of a former world champion, Carlos “Baby Sugar” DeLeon, Jr. (19-2-2, 12 KOs), April 11 in the 10-round co-feature on ShoBox, live from Miccosukee Resort in Miami.

“Fighting on ShoBox means everything to me,” McGirt said. “It’s a stepping stone for my career and I’m very excited. I fought on ShoBox one other time, when I defeated Aaron Pryor’s son, Stephan. Every fight is a new chapter in my career, each one the biggest of my life. I know DeLeon is going to bring his ‘A’ game. I’ve got to be better than him, smarter than him in the ring. I know my father will be telling me to keep my right hand up.

“I’ve been working very hard, so going the distance (in his first scheduled 10 round fight) won’t be a problem, if I need to. It’s his first 10-round fight, too. My weight is right on and I’ve never been this close to the contracted weight so far out from a fight. I’ve been in the gym for so long, waiting for a fight since October, working regularly since right before New Years. For the past 2 ½ months I’ve been on a strength program, lifting weights, and I’ve bulked up a little. I’ve found a home at super middleweight.”

The fathers of McGirt and DeLeon were world champions at the same time in 1988. James “Buddy” McGirt, St., who had a 73-6-1 (48 KOs) record as a pro, was a 2-time world champion in two weight classes (IBF light welterweight 1988, WBC welterweight 1991-93). Carlos “Sugar” DeLeon, Sr., 52-8-1 (32 KOs) as a pro, was a 4-time WBC cruiserweight champion (1980-82, 1983-85, 1986-88, 1989).

“James is ready to take it to the next level,” McGirt's manager, Dennis Witherow, remarked. “We’ve had him on a strength-and-conditioning program. We saw a small difference in his last fight against (Jason) Naugler, but he had only been on the program for 30 days. This fight we expect to see a substantial difference. I think some people are going to be surprised by James’ strength. His boxing skills continue to get better, too. ‘Buddy’ knows boxing so well that he can even pick-out James’ natural skills and still make them better. He’s constantly on James to improve.

“We’re all excited about James fighting again on ShoBox. A win can get James a top 10 fighter next. He’s willing and deserves that, too. You can count on one hand the number of rounds James has lost. He wants to prove that he’s a premier fighter making a name for himself, not the son of a great fighter being protected. As James’ opponents are better, he gets better.”

McGirt, rated No. 26 by the WBC, is a southpaw originally from Brentwood, New York, now living and fighting out of Vero Beach, Florida. DeLeon, rated No. 31 by the WBC, is the reigning USNBC champion from Puerto Rico.

The McGirts are on a mission to become the first family in boxing to feature father-son world champions with the former working his natural son’s corner as head trainer when the latter captures a major world title.